Boot and shoe stretcher



L. WALKER. BOOT AND SHOE STRETCHER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1920.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921j UNITED STATES LEWIS WALKER, OF RICHMOND,VIRGINIA.

BOOT AND SHOE STRETCHER.

Application filed July 29,

To all whom itmay concern: 4 l Be it known that I, Lnwrs WALKER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county ofHenrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Boot and Shoe Stretchers; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to two-way boot and shoe stretchers, and consistsof certain new and useful improvements in the same, especially directedto simplicity, durability and cheapness of construction;

One of the objects of my invention is to make it possible for a user ofmy improved device, to stretch a bootor shoe laterally andlongitudinally at the same time.

A further object which I have in View, is to provide a stretcher whichwill have the entire operating mechanism within itself, therebyaffording a more compact apparatus and one without any projecting partswhich would come in contact with the boot or shoe.

With the foregoing objectsoutlined and with other objects in view whichwill appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in thenovel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in theaccompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

Referring to the drawing Figure 1 is a side view of the stretchershowing in dotted lines, interior recesses for receiving the operatingmechanism of the device.

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the two parts of a foot form which is anelement of my improved stretcher.

Fig. 3 is a detail View of the interior op erating mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a side View of one of the parts of the foot form, showing theinterior recesses.

In the drawing 1 designates a foot form, adapted to be placed within aboot or shoe to be stretched, which consists essentially of two likeparts, in each of which are two longitudinally extending recesses 1' and1". In the rear wall of the recess 1 is an opening 2, which registerswith a similar opening 2 in the rear wall of the recess 1". These twoparts are normally held together by means of the rearwardly extendingarms 3 of a substantially U-shaped member 3, which Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 399,755.

pass through openings in rear walls of the recesses l and upon the outerends of which there is secured, preferably by frictional contact, a heelpart4.

The U-shaped member 3 is pivotally mounted in a lug 5, adapted tooperate in the recess 1", which lug is provided with interior screwthreads, adapted to engage the screw threaded part of a longitudinallyextending rod 6.

The rod 6 is mounted in the openings 2 and 2 provided in the rear wallsof the recesses 1 and 1 and is provided at its outer end with a handle6, while upon its other end, there is pivotally mounted a substantiallyarrow-shaped wedge member 7, which operating in the recess 1, is for thepurpose of spreading the two parts of the foot form laterally, when therod 6 is rotated, in its bearings and in the lug 5.

The arrow-shaped Wedge member 7 is provided with rearwardly extendinghook portions 7 which, when the rod 6 is turned so as to retract thesaid wedge member, are forced into engagement with the undercut walls ofthe recesses 1, bring the two parts of the foot form together and lockthem in that position;

From the foregoing, the assembling and operation of my improvedstretcher is apparent. The two parts of the foot form are broughttogether and the wedge member and lug are placed in their appropriaterecesses, the arms of the U-shaped member extending through the openingsprovided for them, and the rod being mounted in its bearings andextending rearwardly.

The heel part is then placed upon the ends of the arms of the U-shapedmember and the device is ready for use.

WVhen the stretcher is placed within a boot or shoe, it is obvious thatupon turning the handle of the rod 6 in one direction, the lug 5 will beretracted, forcing the arms of the U-shaped member and the heel partmounted thereon, backward, until it contacts with the heel portion ofthe shoe or boot upper, at which time a further turning of the rod 6,will force the wedge member forward and spread the two parts of the footform, thereby stretching the boot or shoe both laterally andlongitudinally.

B rotating the rod 6, in the opposite direction, the heel part may beforced forward, and the hook portions of the wedge member retracted,which, working in the undercut recesses 1, will draw the two parts ofthe foot form together and lock them.

It is obvious that my invention may be applied to a right or left last,or to a straight last, also that any suitable material, such as wood,aluminium or other metal, may be used in constructing the differentparts.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A boot andshoe stretcher, comprising a foot form composed of two side parts andaheel part, each of said side parts having two longitudinally extendingrecesses, one forward of the other, the rear wall of the forward recessbeing provided with an opening which registers with a similar openingextending through the rear wall of the other recess, a Wedgesubstantially arrow-shaped, adapted to engage the forward recess, ascrew threaded lug mounted in the other recess, a longitudinallyextending rod, screw threaded at a portion of its length, mounted in theopenings in the rear walls of said recesses, said rod engaging the screwthreaded lug and being swiveled to the wedge, and means for manuallyrotating said rod.

2. A' boot and shoe stretcher comprising a foot form composed of twoside parts and a heel part, each of said side parts having interiorrecesses, a wedge shaped member mounted in one of said recesses,provided with rearwardly extending hook portions to engage undercutportions of said recesses, an interiorly screw threaded lug membermounted in the other of said recesses, a U-shaped member pivotallymounted in said lug, the arms of which extend rearwardly through therear walls of the two side parts,

a heel part mounted on the ends of the arms of the U-shaped member, anda longitudinally extending screw threaded rod operatively engaging thelug and being swiveled to the wedge shaped member, whereby when the rodis rotated in one direction, the parts of the foot form will be securedtogether and when rotated in the opposite direction, the foot form willbe extended laterally and longitudinally. V y

,3. In a'boot and shoe stretcher,'the combination with a "foot form madein two parts, each of said parts being provided with interior recesses,of a Wedge and screw thread ed lug, adapted to engage and operate in therespective recesses, a U-shaped member piv otally mounted in said lug,and having its respective arms pass through the rear wall of one of theside parts of the foot form, a heel, part removably mounted on the endsof thesaid arms, and a rod, operatively engaging the wedge and lug, forspreading the foot form laterally and extending it longitudinally. Y Q

4. In a two-way boot and shoe stretcher,

the combination with a foot form made in two parts recessed'at portionsof their length, and being provided with a heel part, of a rod, screwthreaded at a portion ofits length, a wedge member and an interiorlyscrew threaded lug member, mounted on saidrod, and a member mounted insaid lug, provided with means 'for extending the heel member rearwardly,the said wedge and lug-being adapted to lie and operate within therecesses of the foot form.

